What is disclosed is a system and method for preventing texting while driving and offering usage-based rewards. The system comprises a phone holder mounted within a vehicle and an application running on the driver's smartphone. A control circuit of the phone holder is configured to detect the smartphone in the holder, detect vehicle motion. An NFC tag on the holder also launches the smartphone application. Depending on measured parameters and determinations made by the “smart” holder and smartphone application, usage data is recorded by the control circuit and/or smartphone. The in-vehicle system is also configured to connect to a cloud-based server for storing vehicle and phone usage data and calculating usage-based rewards, such as insurance benefits for plan members. The system can also include an electronic notification device affixed to the rear windshield of the vehicle and that is selectively switched on to indicate active use of the system.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor for detecting the presence of the smartphone resting on the body is one of a pressure sensor, a strain gauge and a photoelectric sensor.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit processor is configured to be communicatively coupled with an on-board computer of the vehicle via the communication interface, and wherein the processor is configured to determine whether the vehicle is moving at a speed in excess of the prescribed threshold based on information received from the on-board computer, and wherein the recording of usage-data is performed as a function of determining whether the vehicle is moving at a speed in excess of a prescribed threshold.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the base and mount are joined by a pivot mechanism configured to allow the base to pivot relative to the mount.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein the pivot mechanism comprises a ball joint having a limited range of rotational motion about a longitudinal axis.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein the controller of the seal and the processor of the smartphone holder are configured to exchange identification information and, wherein the controller illuminates the LED light in response to validation of the exchanged identification information by one or more of the processor of the holder and the controller of the electronic seal.
10. The system of claim 1, wherein the base further comprises adjustable side rails extending in a direction of a back-wall of the base and configured to extend along a left and right side of the smartphone when placed in the holder, and wherein the adjustable side rails are arranged to resist the smartphone sliding off of the base.
17. The method of claim 11, wherein the sensor is one or more of a pressure sensor and a photoelectric sensor.
18. The method of claim 11, wherein the holder further comprises a mount connected to the body, wherein the mount is adapted to attach to an interior surface of the vehicle and wherein the base and mount are joined by a pivot mechanism configured to allow the base to pivot relative to the mount with a limited range of motion.
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March 15, 2021
March 7, 2023
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